Tuberculosis Observational Study

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Tuberculosis is considered one of the oldest diseases that affects almost every culture in the world. The health event epidemiology of Tuberculosis is mycobacterium tuberculosis, which is a bacteria that is introduced in the lungs and can transmit to other multi-organ systems. Patients who present with signs and symptoms of chronic dry cough over the past few weeks/months, fever, shortness of breath, and weight loss differential diagnosis must include Tuberculosis. Since the year 1993-2011, the morbidity and mortality rates of tuberculosis has decreased about 50% in all genders and races except in the Asian population. Based on the observational study design, cross-sectional study design is most appropriate for the advanced practice nurse to …show more content…

Most immigrants who come to the United States may not have adequate preventative or secondary care for immunizations and screenings. Immigrants could possibly have communicable diseases (McElmurry, Park, & Buseh, 2003). As of today, the incidence of tuberculosis is decreasing throughout the United States (McElmurry, Park, & Buseh, 2003). This epidemic requires advanced practice nurses to address this issue. Advanced medicine, treatment, and preventative methods help to decrease the spread of tuberculosis (McElmurry, Park, & Buseh, 2003). At one instance tuberculosis was limited to the homeless and immigrant population, yet due to the migration of people and close contact, infectious persons of tuberculosis it could be anyone in the community. With adequate teaching from advance practice nurses, patients are able to prevent and control the disease within the …show more content…

It is spread from an infectious person to a non-infectious person by mode of transmission through droplets. Initial infection of TB in the lungs can cause the bacteria can spread to the lymphatic system, and eventually it will get into the aveoli causing latent TB or active/primary TB (Knechel, 2009, p. 35).
Patients will present with symptoms of dry productive cough, chest pain, hemoptysis, and fever, night sweats, weight loss, and fatigue, loss of appetite, chest pain, and shortness of breath. (Williams, 2006). The diagnosis of tuberculosis is based on signs and symptoms, a positive ppd skin test, an abnormal chest x-ray, positive sputum culture, and will require immediate treatment. (Knechel, 2009, p.

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